


The bright side

by curlydots



Series: The good things in life [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Dates, M/M, Police Officer Dick Grayson, lots and lots of flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-31
Updated: 2017-05-31
Packaged: 2018-11-05 05:55:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11007363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curlydots/pseuds/curlydots
Summary: Dick's got a date. Damian disapproves.





	The bright side

It was a week and a half after Jason told himself that he absolutely, definitely, would _not_ be dating anyone from work that he wound up asking out Dick Grayson, aka the first cop he'd worked with, aka a dude so unrealistically attractive that Jason still got a little flustered whenever they talked. He doesn't plan on doing it, it just sort of happens at the end of a really long day when Jason's apparently too damn tired and stupid to think before he talks.

He had been called in to help with a case Dick was working on. There was a five-year-old who needed a social worker's help being placed in a home after some questioning, and since Jason was currently supposed to be working with Bludhaven PD he was the one who was stuck with the very young and very sticky child so that officer Grayson could ask questions for his own reports. Twelve hours and a few more Happy Meals than Jason's stomach was usually comfortable with later and the kid was in a halfway decent temporary home and Jason was sharing a container of lo-men with a very sweaty and very tired cop. It was halfway through his meal and after the second time that Dick (as the officer apparently _liked_ to be called) had tried to steal one his eggrolls that he blurted out a very ungraceful: "Hey do you wanna go out with me?"

Jason was feeling pretty good about the question for about two seconds before he came to the realization that hey, maybe the gorgeous, single cop wasn't into guys, or was only chatting him up to be polite, or didn't want to go out with his mildly unhinged part-time co-worker. But then Dick swallowed a mouthful of noodles with a weird expression and nodded frantically.

“Yeah, definitely,” Dick said when he could finally speak.

"Cool. Right." Jason hid his grin behind his food.

But as it turned out finding a day when they could actually go out was a pain in the ass. When one of them was off the other was always working. Dick also apparently had two younger brothers that he was busy raising on his days off which meant they had even more to work around. So for a week, they were stuck making out, canceling elaborate plans, and sometimes grabbing lunch together at Dick's desk. Luckily Dick was a massive enough flirt to make even coffee and burritos a little sexy.

Three weeks after Jason asked him out they finally found a night where both of them were off before midnight and didn't have to be up before 5. He had to run a couple of red lights to get home fast enough to shower and get dressed but apart from that the time they picked out was perfect.

 

Though Dick had warned him ahead of time he was still annoyed to find that the elevator in Dick's building was out of order. Apparently, it'd only happened that morning without any signs of damage beforehand. Climbing eight flights of stairs pre-date made felt him out of breath and grosser than he preferred but Jason was determined to be optimistic. Sure, it's wasn't in his nature to be optimistic but Dick was rubbing off on him and he wanted to give it a try.

Despite that small setback, he was still in a good mood by the time he found Dick's place. It was weird but he felt an awful lot like a teenager picking up his prom date. Not that Jason had gone to prom but he figured they probably got butterflies all the same.

He knocked twice on Dick's door but before he could get in a third knock the door was violently yanked open. To his surprise, it wasn't Dick at the door but a kid, probably not more ten or eleven years old but with a scowl that Jason didn't know prepubescent faces could make. He was dressed in all black and seemed like he was trying his best to stare down his nose at Jason. 

The kid looked him over, expression flat. Jason wasn't entirely sure what was happening.

"Howdy." Jason gave the kid a small wave. And then hoped that maybe, despite checking twice, he'd gone to the wrong door. The kid stared at him silently.

Jason cleared his throat and tried again. “Hey. Dick home?”

Nothing.

"Pretty blue eyes. Works as a cop."

The wooden door creaked as the kid tightened his grip on it.

More silence. And a long appraising stare. Right. “So are you Tim or - “

“Damian," the kid snapped. He folded his arms over his chest. "And you must be the sorry creature who has come here with the misplaced notion that he can date my brother.”

Someone knew their way around a dictionary. “That'd be me alright. Jason Todd. Work friend turned first date. I’m guessing he’s not home?”

"Listen to me you simpering piece of human garbage," Damian's voice grew sharp and quiet. He took a step back. “Richard has dated people of significantly higher merit and standing than you, and deserves far better than some backwoods dog drooling after him. So if you think for one second that I will stand by and allow you to - "

“Is that Jason?” Dick called from somewhere behind the door. He tried to move in but Damian started swinging the door shut. Jason stuck his foot out before it could close all the way.

“Come on, move over,” he heard Dick say before the kid moved and Dick appeared at the doorway, still in uniform. “Hey. Sorry about that.”

“No worries. Damian and I were just getting to know each other. " He gave the boy’s hair a quick ruffle, pulling back quickly when Damian snatched at his wrist. The little bastard moved like a goddamn snake. "You know I dig the uniform and all but it might not be date appropriate."

“I know, sorry. My shift lasted a couple hours longer than I’d planned. Can you give me like 15 minutes? I’m gonna take a really quick shower.”

“Do what you gotta do, Dickie-bird.” Dick smiled at the nickname, but he was sure he saw Damian’s face twitch.

"Make yourself at home, I'll be right back!"

As soon as Dick went into another room Damian's head snapped over in his direction. His nostrils flared. “Despite what my brother has said you are by no means welcome in our home. Try not to drag in more dirt than necessary.”

“Sure kid.”

Dick had talked about his brothers pretty often over the past couple weeks, usually to bring up something funny they'd done or how well they were doing in school. Based on what Dick had told him, Damian was apparently a sweet, caring kid who loved animals and art so naturally, Jason had pictured a sane human child who didn't talk like a James Bond villain. At this rate, his other brother was probably a serial killer.

Jason looked around the apartment, noting the messiness, knickknacks, and photographs of Dick and his brothers. It wasn’t a big place but it was cozy and had a lot of personality to it. Damian cleared his throat loudly when Jason sat down on the couch.

“I don’t remember giving you permission to sit down.”

So that’s how this was going to be. Jason sunk down deeper into the couch, slouching past the point of comfort. “Kid, you’re half my height, you wanna try to move me?”

“You think I can't?”

“I’m sure if you really wanted to you could but I’m not really trying to fight my date’s younger brother," he said. “Or really any kid ever.”

“You keep referring to me as a child as if you think my age makes you safe from me.”

“You know if you keep frowning like that your face is gonna get stuck that way.”

“What?” Damian's brow unfurrowed before his scowl came back in full force. “Do you think yourself funny?”

Jason shrugged. “Kinda.” He patted the cushion next to him. “Wanna take a seat?"

"No. I'll be burning that couch after you leave. "

"Charming.”

Damian dragged a chair across the room so he was sitting across from Jason and then leaned forward, fingers steepled beneath his chin. Considering that most of his work involved him working with cops and angry kids Jason thought he was used to being sized up by random strangers. Hell, we lived in a rough neighborhood; intimidating looks were nothing new to him.

But Dick’s younger brother staring at him like he was imagining gutting him right there in his living room was still a uniquely uncomfortable experience. He wasn't sure if it was the intense silence or the lack of blinking but Jason was starting to wonder if he'd actually have to fight a child after all.

Just when the silence was getting really uncomfortable Damian finally spoke. “What exactly are your intentions with my brother?”

Jason blinked. “Well I asked him out...so I'm thinking a date.”

“Entailing what exactly?”

“A movie, maybe dinner?”

“Tt, predictable and horribly mediocre.” Jason was about to respond when Damian moved on. "Richard is 29. You seem quite young for him.”

“Thanks, I exfoliate.”

“How old are you exactly?”

“How old are you?”

Damian didn’t answer but from the way his eyes narrowed, Jason suspected that he’d failed some kind of test. He looked down at his phone. God, how long was Dick gonna be?

“..I’m 23.”

A snort. “A child then. Unoriginal _and_ immature. You certainly must think highly of yourself to ask out a man like my brother.”

“Dude, what are you like 10?”

“I am 11 and a half and you would do well to keep your mouth shut unless you're answering my questions.”

Jason mimed zipping his lips. Judging by the way Damian's finger's tightened the sarcasm of the gesture didn't escape him.

"Richard said that you would be here to pick him up at 7. You arrived 4 and a half minutes late."

"Traffic in this city sucks."

"A likely excuse. What kind of car do you drive?"

"The motorcycle kind."

To his surprise, Damian actually smiled at that.

"What?"

"Nothing. Are you an organ donor?"

"Hey, Dick?" Jason called. "Are you almost done in there?"

"Please Todd, I'm only kidding." Damian leaned back in his chair, smile still creepy and still firmly in place. "I already know you're an organ donor."

“Okay look,” Jason said, trying on the voice he usually only pulled out for prickly foster kids, “I’m a social worker. Dick’s department called me in to work with a convict’s kid. We hung out for a while during the case, I asked him out, now I’m sitting on his couch.” He left out the very exciting makeout session they’d had in the back of Dick’s police cruiser. The kid probably didn’t need to know about that. “We’re gonna head downtown and then I’ll have your brother back by midnight no worse for the wear. That sound alright?”

"Interesting," Damian said blandly. "How about a counter offer?"

Very slowly Damian reached behind a cabinet, his eyes still on Jason. Something metallic glittered behind the couch and Jason jumped out of his seat.

“Hey!” Dick stepped into the living room, shoving wet hair out of his face. Whatever Damian was holding vanished back behind the cabinet. “Sorry for the wait. You boys getting along?"

Jason picked up his phone from where it had fallen, hands a little shaky. "Awesome. Great.”

"Obviously," said Damian. His voice was notably lighter when he talked to Dick.

When Jason headed over to Dick he heard Damian whisper a quiet,“I don't like you.”

“No shit?” he whispered back.

Dick nudged him with his shoulder, apparently not catching any of the exchange. “You ready to go?”

"Definitely," Jason said.

Dick pulled his brother into a quick one armed hug. “Don't wait up. Pizza money's on the kitchen table. Don't let Tim order anything with pineapple, I want to actually be able to eat the leftovers.”

“He will have absolutely no say in what we eat,” Damian said. He looked so incredibly stiff with his arms crossed over his chest while Dick hugged him that he might as well have been hugging a statue.

“Attaboy, Little D,” Dick said. “Come on let's go.”

 

 

Despite the rocky start, and the fact that they were already late for their movie, the date didn’t seem to be going too bad. Dick’s idea of a date night outfit turned out to be a button up shirt and a horrible green cardigan with a pattern that reminded Jason of a dixie cup but it was good to know that Dick had some flaws so he let it slide with minimal teasing. In between their delays and the generic date-talk they weren’t really making good time - not that Jason minded.

"I don't even slightly believe that,” Jason said. The two of them were at an intersection waiting for a walk sign.

"Seriously!” Dick said. “I've been way too busy. The rookie cop always gets the shittiest cases you know? I'm in a dry spell."

"Nope. I call bullshit. A dude this hot," Jason gestured at Dick, fugly sweat and all, "can wrangle fifty dates in his sleep. "

"Well. Maybe,” Dick said with a shrug. “But my last couple dates haven't ended the best. Been in a few not-so-good breakups."

Been there done that. "Makes sense."

They made it a few more blocks before Jason found himself looking down at Dick’s hand. They were already walking pretty close to each other, Jason thought. Might as well...

He was just about to take Dick's hand when a dark shape moved in the corner of his vision, darting behind them and into an alley.

"Woah! Did you see that?"

"Hm?” Dick said. “See what?"

Jason rubbed his eyes. There didn’t seem to be anything unusual in the alley. Nothing moving around but a couple rats. "I don't know. Think it was just a big ass cat or something."

"I hope it wasn't. Bludhaven could use a monster myth. A Chupacabra or a two-headed goat thing might be cool."

"I thought you cops weren't supposed to be about fear mongering."

"A guy can dream," Dick said, taking his hand.

 

 

A lifetime of living in shitty foster homes and around scumbags had done two things to Jason: 1) made him hate the idea of other kids going through the things he had and 2) left him with a baseline level of anxiety and paranoia that he carried around with him and had learned to live with. This constant level of paranoia meant that when Jason first started to feel like eyes were following him around he ignored it, assuming he was just being dumb

Besides, he and Dick had reached the theater at this point and Dick's shoulder was warm when it bumped into his while they walked. He had better stuff to think about

“I’m sorry sir,” the cashier told them, “your movie is actually sold out.”

“Crap,” Dick said. “Guess that one’s on me.”

"Nah, don’t worry about. I heard it was a shit movie anyway.”

“I like shitty movies,” Dick said.

Jason sighed. “Yeah me too.”

"What are we doing then?"

"Well damn. All the walking got me pretty hungry. Up for some street meat?" Dick grinned. "Are you smiling because you wanna get food or because I said street meat?"

"Yes."

Jason laced their fingers together as they walked. "God, you're the worst.”

 

 

It started raining almost as soon as they left the theater and they ended up briefly hiding underneath a store’s banister while they waited for the rain to stop. It didn't stop but it eased up eventually so they gave up and made a run for it. They wound up lining up at a food stand, squeezed together under the cover a tree, both damp and a little uncomfortable, but not soaked.

"Really Dick? Gyros are just pretentious burritos,” Jason said. He reached for his wallet in his jacket anyway. His hand went straight through the fabric. “What the - "

There was a large hole in the pocket of his jacket that looked like someone had cut right into it. He’d been holding Dick’s hand most of the time and hadn’t noticed a massive tear on the inside of it.

“You okay Jason?” Dick asked.

“Yeah, it’s no biggie. I think I must’ve forgotten my wallet somewhere,” Jason said. When the hell could someone have taken it? He’d had it when he left his apartment earlier and didn’t exactly drop his guard much when walking around Bludhaven. His mind went back to a moment when the two of them had been in line at the theater and Jason had been craning his neck up to check out the list of movies playing that night. Had someone brushed past him?

"Oh, guess I’m paying,” Dick said. “We’re definitely doing "pretentious burritos" then. Rookie cops don't get much date night money."

“Alright fine, but next time - shit!” Jason stumbled as a large branch broke off the tree they were under, cracking over his head.

“Holy crap, you alright?” Dick asked, laughing. Nothing had hit him.

“Fine.” Jason rubbed his head. Great, his hair was full of leaves. Optimism, he reminded himself. He gritted his teeth. Gotta stay optimistic. 

“You sure?” Dick asked. He was still laughing a little. Jason took a slow breath. Damn even when he was being a jerk he was cute.

“Yeah, yeah" Jason said, flicking a twig at him.

 

 

The rain stopped shortly after that, and since it was summer the night ended up being warm and comfortable. Dick refused to let them get an actual sit-down meal somewhere classy so the two of them ended up walking around aimlessly. They hadn’t run out of things to talk about so, for now, he didn't mind.

It’s not until the two of them are standing outside, staring out at a reflecting pool downtown, that Jason goes from thinking they’re being followed to knowing that they’re being followed. There'd been a shadow behind them for the last 5 blocks. A shadow that tended to peak around corners but suddenly vanished whenever Jason tried to get a good look at it.

While Dick flicked coins into the water Jason’s hands found themselves reaching towards the pocket where he usually kept his switchblade before he remembered that he left it at home. He hadn't wanted a repeat of the _is that a roll of quarters in your pocket or are you just happy to see me oh my god that’s a knife_ incident that was his last attempt at a first date. It was probably for the best. It might not leave a great first impression if he stabbed someone to death in front of a cop. At least not until the third date.

He’d just have to have to knock the guy out. He could do that. Just say he needed to go to the bathroom, kick their teeth in, and throw some coins into the pond with Dick. That was a solid plan.

It was just then that Dick leaned over to rest his head on Jason's shoulder, one of his arms sliding around his waist. And he was trapped.

Jason put an arm around Dick's shoulder. He was comfortably trapped. Trapped by an incredibly gorgeous and affectionate man who happened to smell really nice and also maybe Jason was well past "crush" territory with him. But he was still trapped.

 

 

“The sexiest thing I regularly do is attend parent-teacher conferences," Dick said casually. His tongue was blue from the slushie he'd bought earlier and that he occasionally demanded Jason take sips from since he hadn't allowed Dick to buy an extra one for him. They were still walking (not exactly sightseeing when they both knew every corner of the city) and he really had no idea how to steer them somewhere more impressive and date appropriate. It didn't help that talking to Dick was really fun and that his wallet was gone.

"Dunno that sounds pretty hot," Jason said with an exaggerated leer.

"Oh yeah? Well, sometimes I get up really early and make my brother's lunch."

"Damn I'll bet you do."

"Mmhm. And sometimes when I make PB&J, I cut the crusts off."

"Honestly it's a miracle that my pants are still on."

Dick finally broke and laughed, choking a little on his slushie. Getting Dick to laugh that hard felt like a decent accomplishment.

Just then the grate under Jason’s right foot gave out and he stumbled halfway into the sewer with a shout.

“Jason!” Dick caught one of his arms, keeping him from falling over.

“Son of a fuck _ouch_ ,” Jason said. He sat down on the pavement and pulled his foot free from the grate.

“Are you alright?” Dick asked, crouching down next to him.

“Yeah, I'm good." Good was probably an exaggeration. The sprain hurt like a bitch. "It looks like some psychopath sawed apart the grate.”

Dick frowned. “Okay, that’s too much.”

“Bludhaven is a messed up place,” Jason agreed.

"I might need to call that one in."

Shit, that'd kill the evening. Jason shook his head, staring down at the smooth cut marks and the perfectly square hole. “No, you don't need a do that. I bet it was just some shitty construction.”

 

 

They ducked into a small cafe right after that. Jason didn’t want to admit that his ankle hurt but Dick seemed reluctant to make him walk anymore. Dick got him a hot chocolate which wasn’t too bad. It made him feel slightly more like a human being on a date than a guy with leftover twigs in his hair who’d just fallen down a hole.

“So,” Jason said, draining the last of his cup. “You like being papa-bear in your prime years?”

“Yeah, I really do,” Dick said, smiling. “All three of us were adopted by the same man and when he died it was just us. We’ve been pretty close since them - even if Tim and Damian act like they think I’m a big old embarrassing dork sometimes.”

“You really love those kids huh?”

“They’re basically my two favorite people on earth. Sure Damian can be a huge brat. And I don’t always see Tim because his friends are way more interesting than me, but they’re both the coolest brothers a guy could ask for.” Jason remembered that face from the day he’d asked Dick out. It was kind and open in a way that probably gave everyone around Dick a serious case of the warm and fuzzies. When he noticed Jason staring Dick crinkled his nose at him. “What?”

“Nothing.” Jason stared at his empty cup. “You just look like such a sap when you start talking about your brothers. It’s pretty cute.”

Dick kicked him lightly under the table. “I’ll have you know I’m cute 100% of the time Mr. Todd.”

“Not gonna deny the allegation of sappiness?”

“I'm afraid those charges are well founded. Woah Jason, look out!”

He looked up just in time to catch the frightened look on the face of the busboy behind him as he tripped, dropping his tray of dishes mostly on Jason's head.

“Oh my god! I am so sorry, are you okay?!” Most of the cafe was staring at them and Jason was pretty sure the entire place was spinning. More than one plate had broken over his head.

“Not sure. Lemme get back to you on that one.”

"Oh shit." Jason felt Dick's hand lightly touching the side of his face but he still had his eyes squeezed shut. "You're not bleeding, thank God. It doesn't look too good though."

"Been through worse," Jason grunted, getting to his feet. The busboy looked like he might faint, his face was so pale.

“Wait, hold still! I can get some ice."

“No," Jason said. "Let me just go to the bathroom and wash off the...everything.”

He pointed down at the busboy's feet as he passed him by. "Your shoelaces are tied together."

 

 

Luckily for him, his coat was decent quality leather and the majority of the mocha/scone concoction that landed on it washed right out. He let that air dry while he tossed his shirt in the trash and scrubbed at one of the stains on his undershirt.

His head was still pounding by the time he was done sticking it under the faucet. There was a bump on his head but at least, he wasn’t cut anywhere. Jason pulled out a cigarette because if there was any time for him to need an excuse to calm the fuck down it was that moment. He had a tough time trying to light it because the room was still spinning but eventually he got the job done.

“Do you regularly smoke?”

Jason jumped, cigarette falling out of his mouth. "Jesus fucking Christ kid, are you the creep that's been following us around all day?"

Damian was leaned back against the bathroom wall, eyes hard and disapproving. And because Jason's life is apparently like that now, the kids got a katana on him. How silly of him to assume a cop wouldn't want his kid brother to carry around a goddamn Japanese sword.

"I believe I asked you a question first. Do you smoke regularly and do you intend to continue doing so around Richard?"

"I smoke sometimes and I don't know, we're not even through our first date!" The sword in Damian's hands glowed when it caught the fluorescent light of the bathroom. "Oh come on kid, put the freaken sword away."

"You asked me a question as well," Damian said, inspecting the blade. "You apparently possess powers of observation strong enough to have noticed my presence so a firm congratulations to you Todd; you solved that riddle. But you clearly don't have the foresight to get the rather clear message that I'm trying to send you."

"Nah I get it kid. Must be a stubborn idiot though."

"Indeed you must," said Damian.

"What are you gonna do with that thing?" He gestured at the sword. "Stab me in a public restroom? That your genius plan?"

"It is actually," Damian said, taking a slow step forward. Jason reached for his knife again on instinct and then cursed when he remembered that it still wasn't in his pocket. "Well, to be exact I was considering whether it would be easier to kill you now, while Richard might assume you ditched him because of your poor date, or if I should wait until the two of you walk by the harbor again so an "unfortunate accident" can be arranged. I don't particularly mind the smell of bleach so the first option might be more viable. And God forbid some poor sea creature try to eat your filthy corpse."

“Listen to me, you tiny psychopath," Jason said. "I'm not scared of you okay? I work around kids more intimidating than you for a living.”

“Oh, I very much doubt that.”

“One of them stabbed me last week.”

“Did you develop some immunity to stab wounds? Because otherwise that’s hardly relevant to the new ones I’ll be giving you.”

Jason scrubbed a hand over his face. "Look, I get that you two are close and I know it's tough watching someone live through a shitty relationship, but it’s really not up to you if Dick and I keep dating. He’s an adult okay, and you need to let him make his own decisions."

“He is an overly friendly adult who is determined to see the good in people who _clearly_ have no good to be found.”

Jason snorted. “Yeah, you’d figure being a cop in Bludhaven would've cured him of that. But I guess he’s too damn good of a person.”

"Hence my presence here," Damian said.

Jason nodded, starting to get a better feel for the situation. "You know the guy basically gave me his desk while I was working on our case. Like five seconds after I met him. It's insane."

Damian grunted.

"Plus he volunteered to drive around me and the kid we were working with until we found a place for him to stay. Even though his shift was over."

" _Tt._ Of course he did, the selfless fool."

"Yeah, he's - "

"Don't you dare agree with me," Damian snapped. The tip of his sword ended up way too close to Jason's throat for comfort.

"My bad." He raised his hands. And then with more effort than he'd used all day, he said: "Like I said Damian, I get it. Really. When you've lost a whole lot it's tough not to be scared of losing what you have left."

Damian's grip on his sword tightened. "Stop trying to emphasize with me, you _worm_."

"Orphaned. Awful temper. Too many weapons. Really cares about Dick." He gave the sword a small flick. "That's at least 4 things we've got in common. If we aren't counting abandonment issues."

"That's not -" Damian started to say. "I do _not_ have abandonment issues!"

"Hell, you’re probably right about me not being good enough for him," Jason continued. "But I’m gonna need to hear that shit from him, not from his tiny, uptight bodyguard. Dick’s not the only person who’s been through a bad relationship. But...”

Damian frowned up at him. “But what exactly?”

“But,” Jason ran a hand through his hair. “But, I like him. And I don’t plan on being one of his shitty breakup stories that he bitches about to you and your brother later. Based on the small amount of shit he's told me about his exes I'd probably want to murder me too if it'd keep Dick from getting hurt. So…you know. I’ll try my best and everything.”

Damian grunted loudly and lowered his sword. Jason wasn't sure if that meant he'd won or not but he didn’t know what else to say. The truth was he sympathized with a kid. Crazy as he was he made a lot of sense, clinging to the good things in life and reacting with mistrust and threats of violence to things that might get in his way. He wasn’t that different from the way Jason had been at that age - even if he talked like someone had shoved a thesaurus up his ass.

"The only thing you and I are in agreement about is your unworthiness when it comes to my brother," Damian finally said.

"Yeah well, he's pretty great. Can't blame me for trying."

"Yes, I can." And then he added a little quieter: "Need I waste my time explaining what will happen if you harm him in any way?”

"Kid, I'll probably deserve it."

Damian moved into his space, tilting his chin up at Jason. After a few tense moments, he reached into his pocket and pulled out Jason's wallet.

“Knew that was you at the theater, you little shit.”

“Actually I took it when you entered the apartment. I couldn't very well run a background check on you when Richard wouldn't give me your name and address."

Mentioning that he'd cut up Jason's favorite jacket felt like pushing his luck, so he left that unsaid. He reached for his wallet only for Damian to yank his hand away at the late moment.

"You will reimburse my brother for the gyro and the hot chocolate and then you will continue with your date as though you never saw me. Understood?"

“Oh shit, really?”

“You will, however, avoid further cuddling and whatever that nonsense with your feet under the table was - “

Jason grinned. “Footsie?”

“I wasn't asking!” Damian hissed. “You will not do it again. Then you will make polite, innuendo free conversation for an acceptable length of time and offer to walk him home. When he attempts to kiss you, which he will as is his nature, you will keep your hands to yourself and wish him a good night afterwards. You will text him within 12 hours to discuss how dearly you enjoyed his company and your plans for a second date. If you force Richard to text you first you will have reached the end of my lenience. Is that clear?”

“I wasn't taking notes, do we make out before or after I get him drunk?” Damian made another low sound like a growl and Jason laughed. “Sorry, sorry, I'll have him home nice and safe. I promise alright?”

Damian handed him back the wallet, still scowling. Weirdly enough he was starting to think Dick was right about the kid. He was kind of sweet.

"What in the hell are you looking at Todd?"

"Nothing." He grabbed his jacket on his way to the door and then stopped.

He ruffled Damian's hair. "Later, Little D!" The door swung shut behind him before Damian could try anything.

"Insolent cur," Damian said under his breath.

 

 

Initially, Jason decided that he wouldn’t be kissing Dick that night. Being right in front of his apartment building made Jason feel like he was being watched again and he was convinced that he'd end up getting stabbed if he so much as touched Dick. But when Dick looked over at him, eyes twinkling happily in the street light Jason didn't really have much of a choice.

Even though Dick tasted like artificial blue sweetener, once he'd started kissing him it was a serious challenge to get himself to stop. Especially with Dick moaning and trying to grab his ass.

"We should do this again sometime," he said, trying to get some distance between them.

"Yup," Dick said. His hands were still hovering distractingly over his ass.

" _But_ you've got two little brothers waiting for you.” _One of which might still murder me._  “To be continued?”

"Yes. Absolutely.”

"Cool," Jason said lamely. "Um, good nigh - "

Dick kissed him again. Jason shrugged and kissed him back. 

He'd just have to hope for the best.

 

 

Dick kicked the door closed, leaning back against it with a sigh. The apartment was dim but one lamp was still on in the living room and he could see light streaming out from under Tim's door. “So," he said aloud. "Are you done for the night?"

Damian stuck his head over the arm of the couch, face neutral. There was a book on his lap and a cup of tea on the table. He wasn't certain but it looked like Tim's favorite cup from where he was standing. Dick thought that was a nice detail; it implied that Damian had been good while he was away, but not unrealistically good. Very convincing. 

"Evening Richard," Damian said casually. "There's leftover pizza in the fridge if you'd like some."

He stared at Damian, hands on his hips. Damian sat up slowly and cleared his throat. "Am I done with what?

"Trying to murder my date," Dick said.

"I did no such thing."

"You're saying the branch and the wallet and everything else wasn't you?"

“I didn't say that." Damian stared down at his book. "I said I didn't try to murder him."

Dick's arms dropped to his side. "Damiaaaan."

"What? Todd is perfectly fine!" Damian said. "I am well aware that killing him on your date would only incriminate you."

Dick sighed. "You're not filling me with a lot of confidence there buddy."

"Ah. Then I suppose you won't be particularly enthused by the color-coordinated notes I left on your bedside table. Are you aware that he was arrested for shoplifting at age 12?"

"Yup," he said, sitting down on the couch beside Damian. "He told me around the time he asked me out. And about the foster homes. And the assault charge when he was 15. Anything else?

"...he has a parking ticket that he hasn't paid yet."

"He told me about that too. Said it was bullshit and the meter maid just didn't like him. Are you gonna lay off the guy?"

"Hmf. Very well."

He leaned forward, squinting at Damian's face. Damian didn't meet his eyes.

“Very well?” Dick asked.

"I...will attempt not to do him any more physical harm," Damian corrected. That sounded sincere enough that Dick figured it might actually be true. More than one restraining order on their family might make keeping his job a little tough.

"Guess that's the best I'm going to get from you." He grabbed Damian face, squishing his cheeks. “The thing with the grate and the busboy were both too much, and you're going to apologize for that next time Jason comes by. What if you'd seriously hurt him?”

“Wew,” Damian said, trying to squirm out of Dick's grip. “Aa suppo sss guu-”

“Huh?”

Damian shoved his hands away. “I said, I suppose it's good that you've stopped dating men twice your age who are fragile enough to break after a few minor booby traps. As it is Todd took it well.”

“Oh god, did you actually confront him?” Damian shrugged. “How did he react?”

“He called me a "tiny psychopath" and then rubbed salt into some of my old wounds." At Dick's concerned stare Damian gave him a dismissive wave. "He may have made a few salient points regarding my... _protective_ nature and then admitted to having a similar problem. Also, I may have had my katana with me."

"Oh," Dick said, relaxing. He thought he'd done a better job of hiding Damian's weapons.

"He also suggested that you're too good for him and showed some level of earnest affection for you."

"Oh."

"Yes. Self-depreciation suits him well."

The “too good for him” thing was probably something they’d need to work on but Dick filed that away for later. “I’m glad to hear that but I wish you hadn’t put him in that position.”

Damian seemed to stew that over for a few seconds. “Sorry,” he said quietly. “Are you upset with me?”

“Only a little," Dick said honestly. "If he’d actually tried to fight you then we’d be having a very different conversation but your instincts were off with Jason. So I get to be a little mad at you.”

“I could’ve taken him.” Dick raised an eyebrow. “But I suppose I won’t.”

“He’s a good person Damian.”

“Arguably,” Damian said. “I said as much in my notes if you check the last chapter.”

"Well, well, well." Dick grinned. “Sounds like he's got the Damian Wayne stamp of approval."

"There is no such thing and if there were it wouldn't be something I'd give to a man that I've spoken to twice.” Damian swung his feet back and forth. "But his intentions and attitude towards you could be worse. I guess."

"Careful there, little bro. That almost sounded like praise."

"Well it wasn't."

"I like him too."

“Shut up.”

That was definitely progress for Damian. The closest he’d come to accepting one of Dick’s dates in the past had been only slashing one of their tires. Well, he suspected it’d been Damian. He never had any solid evidence of half the things his brother got up to.

“Hey,” Dick said.

“What?”

“Thanks for looking out for me.”

"Yeah, whatever." Damian leaned back against the couch with him, not encouraging Dick to hug him but doing nothing to stop it. "I suppose if you like him..." Damian trailed off mumbling, but Dick thought he might have caught his words.

"Aww what was that?"

"I said there's still time to kill him later!"


End file.
